BAY CITY, MI — Having recently been named Bay City’s first public safety director, Police Chief Michael J. Cecchini said he is excited to lead the transition process that will see the police and fire departments merge into one organization.

Cecchini, police chief since December 2006, said he looks forward to “building something, an organized, combined police and fire department that will serve the citizens well and also put us on strong financial footing. It’s really quality work my staff and I will be engaging in.”

The Bay City Commission earlier this month approved the merger of the police and fire departments, which leaders said will alleviate budget shortfalls by reducing the public safety budget by $1.8 million yearly beginning in 2017.

Bay City Manager Robert V. Belleman on Friday, Dec. 21, announced he’d hired Cecchini as the public safety department’s director. Cecchini officially assumes the title on Tuesday, Jan. 1.

“We’ve laid out an implementation plan to the commission, but the rubber doesn’t hit the ground until 2013, when cross-trained officers will be deployed to fight fires,” Cecchini said. “In the meantime, police officers are being trained at the Bay County Fire Academy. We’re going to get policies and procedures created and put in place to address the operational and administrative issues of the public safety department.”

Currently, 13 police officers are cross-training at the fire academy. They will complete their training in July.

“In the summer, we’ll train another 12 to 13 officers,” Cecchini said. “In January 2014, we’ll have a compliment of 25 or 26 fully cross-trained public safety officers.

“When we implement it in July,” he continued, “when the first fire comes out, we have to ensure personnel are properly trained in procedures to address a fire event. It’s important we perform well in responding to the fire. That lends itself to public confidence and showing people that it will work. That’s what’s most important — to ensure public confidence in the public safety department and to ensure political confidence.”

The plan calls for the former Bay City Fire Department Station 5 on Smith Street, closed since 2009, to reopen in January 2014, Cecchini said. “We’re also going to keep Station 2 in the South End, which without the public safety department, they were looking at closing,” he added.

One challenge Cecchini foresees is getting firefighters, who largely opposed the formation of a public safety department, to participate in police training. He hopes to cross-train firefighters to replace retiring police officers.

“That’ll be tough in some instances,” he said, adding that his goal is to get those opposed to the cross-training to change their minds. “I think it can be done over time. Some are open to it, some are on the fence and some will always be against it.”

Police command officers, such as sergeants and lieutenants, also plan on attending the fire academy on their own time, the chief said.

“Both of those gentlemen were very instrumental in creating this plan for public safety,” Cecchini said. “Both men know their fields … very well.”

As part of his new title, Cecchini will receive a raise from about $79,800 to around $94,000, if he meets certain performance goals. The chief previously made about $84,000 annually before the city’s nonunion employees took a pay cut in 2010.

“I’ve been below market average for my position since I’ve been here,” Cecchini said. “Even though I’m getting a raise, I’m not getting an outlandish salary compared to what other people in my field get.”

He added that chiefs of similarly sized Michigan police departments can receive a salary of $95,000 to $100,000, with public safety directors garnering more than that.

“I’m thankful for what I have and the opportunity to be first public safety director and to lead this organization,” he said. “When I’m done working here, it’s something I can be proud of.

“At some point,” he continued, “you won’t have any police officers or firefighters. You’ll just have a fully incorporated public safety department along with public safety officers. The implementation process really doesn’t end. It’s an ongoing process.”